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I have never played the Dragon's Dogma video game, but this anime actually made me interested in playing the original game, so there's that at least. Still, the Dragon's Dogma show is subpar in pretty much every category.

Both the studio that made this show (Sublimation) and the director have only one other credit, a short movie called Walking Meat that no one seems to have seen. Right then and there I should have known this anime would be a little rough with inexperienced people at the helm. Both the animation and sound are decent (4/10) but never, ever rise above mediocrity. Actually, I'll point ... out the intro song as the highlight of the show, filled with macabre visuals like skeletons clutching hearts and each other. This great intro always made me pumped for the disappointing show I was about to watch. The CGI animation always looked pretty bad, though. Like it was never Berserk 2016 levels of crap, but the CG in other shows such as Ajin still looked a million times better. There was also no memorable battle music at all.

Our story was incredibly bland and rushed (4/10). Yes, I'd say this show's biggest sin was its pacing, as the director attempted to cram probably 30 hours of RPG story into just 7 half hour episodes. Impossible! Everything I hear from fans of the game indicates that he butchered the story and cut out many beloved characters. I know for a fact that you can have three Pawns in the game, but our Arisen here only has one. Honestly this premise had potential: a dragon ravages main character's village and murders his pregnant wife. It even rips out the protagonist's heart, who is reborn as an Arisen and wants revenge on said dragon. Sadly the show wastes this cool premise on bland characters and poor execution. If you want a good example of a similar type of show, watch Dota: Dragon's Blood, also based on a video game and on Netflix. There are seven episodes in Dragon's Dogma and each revolves around a different "seven deadly sin," which is a very cool idea. Once again a cool idea is ruined by shoddy execution.

The characters were extremely weak (4/10) and seemed more like slaves to the plot than anything else. Hell, Hannah describes herself as a Pawn, and she is just that in the story! What do I mean by all this? Well in the episode "Envy" a husband has to act totally out of character and murder his wife at the end of the episode, just so we can see a jealous man envious of other men. A noble knight has to act totally out of character in the "Greed" episode and murder his best friend, just to show that men can be greedy. He is overcome by greed after touching the Lich King's gold coin, ok, but then why was Ethan fine after touching the exact same coin beforehand? No time to think about such things! I wanted to like Ethan because I definitely sympathized with his plight, but he was just a generic warrior out for revenge for the majority of the show. There were even a few times he came off unlikable, as he refused to help innocents unless it directly coincided with his revenge plot. The Pawn Hannah I feel had the most potential for character development, but we never really learn anything about her. She literally exists just to be an aid to Ethan and that...sucks.

My enjoyment for this anime was pretty low (4/10) because I thought the episodes were too rushed. I also felt cheated by the abrupt ending. Even when Ethan was having his climactic rematch with the dragon I really didn't feel anything at all. Overall I have to say this is a disappointing, below average anime. 4/10

Jujutsu Kaisen is blowing up in popularity to the point where people are comparing it to the other supernatural shonen hit Demon Slayer. Honestly I think the show's gorgeous animation and sound design are winning people over so much that they can ignore the kind of mediocre writing. Personally I enjoyed the show a lot but less than others on here. If Demon Slayer was 9.5/10 then I think Jujutsu Kaisen deserves more like an 8/10 overall.

The story in JJK is bare bones basic shonen. The main character is a Good Boy who agrees to trap a demon inside of him so he can ... save his friends. He uses his magic to fight demons and he goes to a school for other demon hunting teens with magic weapons, all while learning to control the demonic split personality inside him. Hmm, this is all sounding awfully familiar isn't it? I only noticed this over time, but I also have to complain about the fact that no one really ever dies on this show? Like Gojo beats the hell out of that volcano-head curse, reduces him to just a head, and then he's saved at the last minute. After that there were two more instances where Yuji and an ally teamed up to beat the big bad 99.9% but then he just slithers away at the last second. It's like come on, man! Don't any of the villains ever die? Hell, the main character even "dies" and comes back pretty quick! 5/10

Studio Mappa have truly outdone themselves in the art/animation department. Fight sequences are so well choreographed that my jaw almost dropped. The visuals are so gorgeous, especially certain shots in the OP. I especially loved the look of the various demons in the show and how they had this "chalky" outline to them that other character designs did not have. Really the only other shonen whose visuals can compete is the aforementioned Demon Slayer. 10/10

Sound design in JJK is similarly stellar. Rock music plays at key moments during fights to really pump you up. Oh and that 1st OP is such a banger. I listen to it all the time even when I'm not watching the show! 10/10

I have to complain about the subpar characters. There is, for example, absolutely nothing striking or memorable about Yuji as a main character. He is every shonen protagonist ever. I'd say the show does a much better job with making its side characters likable and memorable. My favorite was the blue haired samurai girl (Useless Miwa). Many have pointed this out so I need to mention that I agree that the main trio here is like an improved version of Naruto's team. Yuji is a less annoying Naruto (even has a demon inside him), Gojo is Kakashi 2.0 (gray haired fun sensei but HE COVER BOTH EYES), Fushiguro is a more friendly Sasuke, and Nobara is like if Sakura actually pulled her own weight on the team. Nobara is a bitchy tomboy like Sakura, sure, but she does more in 24 episodes of JJK than Sakura did in 200+ episodes of Naruto (zero hyperbole here)! Seriously I loved her. I also liked how Nobara was a bit stockier than your average female main character, who tends to have a "Barbie doll" shape. 6/10

Yes, I complained about subpar writing, story and characters in this show. So you'll be shocked when I say my personal enjoyment bumped this series up to a surprising 8/10 overall. Enjoyment is hard to quantify but I just got so wrapped up in the creepy designs of the demons and the god-tier fight scenes that my enjoyment was at a strong 8/10 because I could ignore the flaws in those moments.

So I ironically forgot there was a Steins;Gate movie that acts as a sequel to the 2011 TV series. I say ironically because the movie, Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu, is actually all about forgetting that the character Hououin Kyouma ever existed. So is it worth a watch? It's ok but the movie is a 100% unnecessary continuation to an already-perfect ending. In other words it's "the Force Awakens of Steins;Gate content"!

I think few people would argue with me when I say Steins;Gate ended on a perfect note. SERN was defeated, the timeline was restored, both Mayuri and Kurisu are alive and well...THE END, ... right? Well, this movie gives us 30 minutes of slice of life shenanigans (which I honestly enjoyed, it was just nice to see these characters again), and then we get into the plot. Kyouma is feeling side effects from all of his time traveling and eventually he disappears, both physically and from people's memories. Kurisu still remembers, though, and she's trying to get him back. I thought the conflict was really tacked on and forced and Kurisu is now the protagonist which made me realize just how kinda BORING she is compared to Kyouma. I was hoping that with her added screen time we'd get to see more of Kurisu's home life, more of her relationship with her father? But no, we don't really learn anything new about her by the end of this film. There are a couple fanservice shots of her in a very loose T-shirt where we can see alllllll the way down it, so there's that lol. Kurisu and Kyouma do have some cute scenes together (like when drunk Kurisu rubs her cheek against his) and those were easily the highlight of the film. I wouldn't say the movie is BAD or anything, just an obvious cash in for the fans.

The original Steins;Gate TV show was a 10/10 masterpiece and Fuka Ryouiki no Deja vu is a 7/10 follow up that really doesn't need to exist. But hey if you have 90 minutes to kill, there are worse ways to spend your time, right?

Studio Madhouse has done it again in the 2nd season of Kaiji! This is a 10/10 gambling anime. Kick Kakegurui to the curb, cuz there are no moe character designs or forced romantic relationships to be found in THIS gambling anime!

Story: 10/10. The stakes have never been higher in season 2 as Kaiji finds himself basically a slave working in a labor camp to pay off his massive debts. If he raises enough money he can buy his freedom and rejoin society above ground! How's that for motivation? There's a small moment I need to mention where Kaiji can finally afford a decent meal for ... himself after months and months, and when he takes a bite it brought a legit tear to my eye. Kaiji has always managed to make the small moments feel big, too, y'know? The first 10 or so episodes revolve around high stakes dice roll games, and this was easily my favorite arc in the season. Then we have...The Bog. Yup, the next 16 episodes are about Kaiji playing a single pachinko game, and I know this SOUNDS like torture, but believe me when I say you're gonna love it. I'd compare it to that season-long volleyball game in Haikyu season 3, where they SOMEHOW managed to drag out the game that long and still make it entertaining as hell! Trust me, I marathoned the pachinko arc in two days and it was well worth it.

Sound: 10/10. Zawa zawa! What more do I need to say? This show basically invented the oppressive atmosphere sound effect and uses it to PERFECT dramatic effect! And who could forget that crazy narrator, who constantly screams about how epic the action is, which only makes everything even more epic!? In fact, the narrator is so damn entertaining that I actually didn't mind the recap episode this season, just because it meant I got to hear the narrator talk some more! Other sound effects are used perfectly as well, form the clinking of dice in a bowl to the chattering of a nervous gambler's teeth. I remember sound was used especially well to make a tiny pachinko ball hitting some panels sound like a fucking wrecking ball coming in to knock over a building! Oh and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing OST. Kaiji's new OP by "Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas" is one of my favorite openings of all time, and while I could go on and on about the visuals and music in that OP, I'll just say it's one I NEVER skipped and it never failed to get my blood pumping as I started a new episode.

Art: 10/10. The animation is as spectacular as we expect from Madhouse anime at this point, and I'd claim that Kaiji's season 2 has vast visual improvements over season 1! Sure, you could argue that it has something to do with the second season being more readily available in HD, but I'd say character designs are more detailed in general this time around. When a character needs to show an emotion like great happiness or great sadness, his face REFLECTS that with perfect clarity! Like when Kaiji cries, his eyes don't just water up, they wiggle back and forth in a tear-shaped pattern! Madhouse's animation deserves recognition for making the most mundane tasks, from Light Yagami eating a potato chip in Death Note to Kaiji Ito playing pachinko, seem like the most blood-pumping, epic spectacles you've ever witnessed!

Character: 10/10. Kaiji Ito is one of the best anime protagonists I've come across. He's the ultimate underdog and thus instantly relatable. Kaiji can be very OP and badass in certain situations, yet very naive and dumb in others. Kaiji can be too trusting or "soft," as other characters call him, but I love these flaws because they make Kaiji more human (and thus relatable to me). The crux of the matter is that when push comes to shove, Kaiji will survive at all costs, and it's his survival that is so infinitely entertaining for an audience. What matters most to me is the fact that even though he can be ruthless, Kaiji can also be a very kind and honorable man. I love that moment in the final episode where he basically gives the villain a "pep talk" and says "If I could escape that hell hole, then a cunning bastard like you should be able to as well! Face me again!" What a swell guy! The villains this season are extremely well done as well. First we have a sadistic foreman who likes to manipulate and rob you of even the shirt off your back, and then we have the pretty boy owner of a casino. The casino owner at first didn't look intimidating to me, but once you see how he tortures people...all I'll say is "bloody manicure" and leave it at that. *shiver*

Enjoyment: 10/10. Like I said, few anime got me as pumped to watch it as Kaiji did when they blasted that OP. Watching every episode of this show was a pure treat, and somehow watching a man sit and play pachinko for like 15 episodes never got boring? They deserve an award for that alone!

Overall: 10/10. Everyone should watch Kaiji just so you can experience what an awesome main character Kaiji Ito is. Oh and if you're into gambling anime like Kakegurui or mind game anime like Death Note, then this show is an easy recommendation.

"Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor" is more of an obscure anime, it's an old anime from 2007, it's got a weird art style, etc. Throw all of these things out of your mind, because I'm telling you it's 100% worth it to track down this show! I was skeptical of the show at first, but it has quickly become one of my favorite anime series of all time.

Kaiji is a gambling anime about a young man named Itoh Kaiji, who owes 3 million yen to the yakuza because a friend's loan he co-signed has defaulted to him. He is forced to go on a special cruise ship ... and gamble his way out of debt. From here the show only spins more and more out of control! The men on this cruise ship are betting on games of rock-paper-scissors, but this is no ordinary game: this is RESTRICTED rock-paper-scissors, in which each player is given a deck of rock, scissors, and paper cards. In other words each symbol has limited uses and it becomes much more of a game about balancing your resources. This is the type of unique spin Kaiji will put on every game in the show. Next we have a "human derby" in which the simple act of crossing a balance beam is elevated to a survival game where you have to decide how far you're willing to go to reach the finish line. After that is my favorite game, E-Card, which is a card duel not unlike rock-paper-scissors. What sets this arc apart form the rest, though, is the stakes have never been higher for Kaiji! Let's just say that by the end it gets REALLY bloody! Now if the show had ended right here I probably would've given the story a 10/10, but alas we have the final arc about the "tissue box lottery." These last 4 or so episodes really dragged on for me and brought the story score down to 8/10. Kaiji just makes some really bad decisions here and the entire conflict just felt really unnecessary (I kept shouting "Just leave, Kaiji!" at the screen). There isn't much reason to fight the old man at this point and the game Kaiji comes up with is poorly planned out, as his friends point out. The series also ends on this cliffhanger that is kinda unsatisfying considering we don't even know if Kaiji's going to be ok physically.

Artwork in Kaiji is phenomenal, 9/10. This is studio Madhouse doing the animation so I expect nothing less. Actually, Madhouse is kind of a perfect fit for a psychological anime like Kaiji considering they made another such anime called Death Note (you may have heard of it). Just as Madhouse was able to make Light writing in a book seem like the most epic thing ever, the studio once again makes "mundame" actions like turning over a playing card into the most epic of shonen battles! As I stated earlier, the character designs in Kaiji definitely take some getting used to, but I have to say they grew on me after a few episodes. I almost gave the art score 10/10 but I have to say that after watching a few episodes of season 2, the visuals greatly improve to 10/10 territory in THAT season.

Sound in Kaiji is perfect 10/10. The music in this show is perfectly timed to get you pumped for what's about to happen. I especially like the OST track "Memories" which I listen to all the time. Did I mention the voice actor for Kaiji sings his own theme song? Epic! Music tracks aside, the show also has REALLY good use of sound effects. Onomatopoeia from the manga is brought to life through the constant "zawawawa" sound effects. This sound basically translates to "uneasy atmosphere" and it's perfect for setting the, well, atmosphere of the battles.

Characters? Itoh Kaiji is one of the best anime protagonists of all time, 10/10. Bold words, I know, but I mean it. Other main characters might have been born with a special power or something but Kaiji really is a normal, down on his luck shmuck. Other main characters might be busy saving the world from alien invaders or something, whereas Kaiji's main concern is simply paying his bills and where his next mean is coming from (something I was able to relate to a lot more). Well, that is until he enters a life-or-death scenario and he suddenly enters "badass mode"! That's why I consider Kaiji not only an average Joe you can relate to, but also a testament to the human will to survive in the face of all odds! Watching Kaiji make use of his surroundings and resources to stay alive is one of the most thrilling pieces of entertainment I've experienced in anime. There's a lot more to Kaiji than simply being a badass, though. Early on in the show we see a nasty side to him, where he vandalizes expensive sports cars out of spite. It's a behavior we can understand on some level, though, as it's the poor man's only act of defiance considering a car like that is something he can never, ever hope to afford. I've certainly felt that way in the past when I saw people with luxury items I could never hope to have. Kaiji can also be very kind, helping others in similar poor circumstances when he can.

My enjoyment of this show was also 10/10. I was shocked at how pumped and invested I was in games where people were simply turning over cards or crossing a balance beam. But that's the thing with Kaiji, it's never "simple" anything, as there's always a twist! Kaiji is an incredibly likable and relatable character, and watching his struggles is immensely entertaining. This is a 9/10 show.

Hellsing Ultimate is a 10 episode OVA that better adapts the manga than the earlier TV series. Each episode is about an hour long so think about it like 10 short movies lol. It's definitely a bit of a time investment but I'm so glad I finally watched the story to its end! I'm giving Ultimate a 10/10 not because it's a perfect anime (there's no such thing as a perfect anime unless we're talking about the sports anime Keijo), but because I think it sets the standard for what this kind of OVA should be. There are 10 Hellsing manga volumes, and thus we ... get 10 extra-long episodes with movie quality animation budget. I literally wish every manga got this adaptation treatment.

If you want over the top action and gore, look no further than this series. I had to replay many fight scenes in this show just because of how jaw-dropping they were! Standout moments include when Seras has to snipe that teenage vampire who's running away at super speed, or when Anderson throws his bayonets at Alucard so hard they shatter every window in the hallway! Every opponent has some unique skill or vampire power, keeping things fresh. Again I must mention the animation and artwork are truly a sight to behold, worth watching the OVA just for the technical achievement. The 1st OVA came out in 2006 and I'd pit it against anime coming out this year in terms of looks!

The ONE thing I could see complaining about with Hellsing Ultimate is that the lead Alucard is quite villainous (he literally cackles like a supervillain) and very OP. Alucard almost always completely overwhelms his opponents with his power and the show goes into how he's pretty much un-killable. These would normally be huge negatives for me but Crispin Freeman (dub>sub for me in this case) does such a fantastic job voicing the deliciously evil Alucard that I don't mind at all! I think Alucard is just a joy to watch as he toys with his opponents. Or if you desire a more morally grounded, less-OP character, I point you to our female lead, Seras Victoria. We get to see Seras's growth from human police woman to newborn vampire to full-fledged vampiress by the end of the series. Seras is incredibly strong but she can also be quite vulnerable. Hell, just look at her fight with Zorin Blitz where she gets beat up so bad and permanently loses an arm! Anyway, if you want over the top vampire action and gore with near-perfect animation, I can't think of a better choice than Hellsing Ultimate. 10/10

So let's get this out of the way first: even though this anime was made by author Kohta Hirano, this anime is NOT Hellsing Ultimate! Drifters: Battle in a Brand-New World War is an anime about various historical figures being plucked from their timelines and dropped in a fantasy setting (I'm talking elves, dwarves, dragons, goblins, etc.) to do battle. They are chess pieces on a cosmic board being used by two mysterious figures. The premise alone is extremely intriguing and was what got me to watch the show. Unfortunately this concept was not developed very far due to the short season of only 12 ... episodes. You're going to hear me say that a lot when I talk about this show.

I'll cut to the quick and tell you this show's biggest problem: the comedy. Now, Drifters is a serious show with lots of gory action, so I understand the need to lighten the mood with a funny scene here and there. We saw this a little in Hellsing. Well, Drifters takes the comedy route and goes wayyy too far! I'm not kidding when I say there are some episodes where it feels like you can't go 5 minutes without another "funny" scene! The show suddenly goes into chibi mode, taking on a totally different art style that I hate. Side note: I have to say the NORMAL art style of this show is wonderful (9/10)! Seriously no one draws characters with a crazy grin like Hirano does. But back to my point, the jokes got so out of hand I almost turned off the episode a few times. Hey, isn't it great that Nobunaga can't remember Olminu's name so he just calls her Oppainu because she has huge boobies? Don't you love it when he does that for the 20th time? See, the jokes aren't even funny! My enjoyment score started out at like a 9/10 because of the kickass fight scenes, but the comedy was so terrible I had to drop it to a 6/10.

Drifters had a lot of potential but they failed to develop the most interesting parts. I know this is only the first season but the second season has been VERY slow to come out, and it looks like there isn't that much manga left to adapt anyway. So I have to review the story as it stands. We never learn more about this cosmic battle between the goth girl and the guy sitting at a desk. Hell, we never even learn much about the main baddie, the Black King. What exactly is his goal? Sure a lot of the historical figures were cool (their interpretation of Joan of Arc as a pyrokinetic was my favorite), and I learned a few things from watching the show. Like did you know the Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite fighting force literally made of pairs of gay lovers? Overall 7/10.

As a bonus I'll tell you about the Drifters OVA's as well. Episodes 13 and 14 are out as OVA's and continue right where the show left off. There is a lot of talking, a lot of meetings---basically you're not missing much! The one important scene in my opinion was when the Black King reveals his plans and motivation for humanity. WOW that would've been nice if it was in the actual TV show, right!? Episode 15 came out in Japan a year or two ago but as far as I know at this point in time no sub exists for it out there. So yeah, the Drifters OVA's are incredibly slow to come out, hard to track down, and even when you do watch one it doesn't advance the plot very much. Don't waste your time!

Special Edition, who do these guys think they are, George Lucas!? Drifters: Special Edition is an OVA that is literally just episodes 1 & 2 of the anime stitched together to make a "movie." There is literally no reason for this to exist. I'd recommend you just watch the first 2 episodes of the anime instead, and the rest of the anime for that matter because it's good. I was hoping that this might be like the numerous "compilation movies" for other anime out there, which at least have new footage? Or maybe it would be like a director's cute, showing some really graphic scenes ... that couldn't make it into the TV edit? Nope, neither was true. This OVA was pointless. 5/10

Hellsing The Dawn is a series of 3 OVAs that are each about 10 minutes long. They serve as a prequel to Hellsing and show a young (VERY bishonen) Walter kicking Nazi ass in WW2. What's not to love here? I was ready to give this OVA a 9 because of the GORGEOUSLY animated action scenes, but the shenanigans they pulled in episode 3 brought my score down to a 7/10. For some reason I cannot fathom they decided to stack on a full trailer for the anime Drifters to the end of episode 3. Like, if you wanna make a trailer for Drifters, then ... just do that, don't interrupt Hellsing to do so. And I say "interrupt" specifically because the Hellsing portion fades to black just as Alucard enters the fight to back up Walter, who was getting a beating by The Captain. Obviously Alucard and Walter are both alive in Hellsing, so I know they didn't lose the fight, but it still would've been nice to see HOW that fight ended. Instead time and money is spent on the aforementioned trailer, which is why I finished the OVA a little annoyed.

Haikyuu season 3: Karasuno vs. Shiratorizawa has a very apt subtitle because this truncated 10 episode season is literally just a depiction of the final battle between Karasuno and the previous representatives of Japan at the national volleyball level. I saw another review call season 3 "Haikyu S2 DLC" and honestly that's a good way to think of it. Season 2 was near perfect (I gave it a 10/10) and season 3 just adds more content to tide fans over until the next big release, so to speak. That all being said, everything I said about season 2 applies to this new season of Haikyuu ... as well, so I'm also giving it a 10/10 overall.

I remember thinking "if you told me they were gonna stretch out ONE SINGLE VOLLEYBALL MATCH to cover an entire season, I'd laugh in your face and say that's horrible!"But I was so wrong. Season 3 has every reason to fail, stretching a volleyball game over 10 episodes just sounds like a bad idea, but Haikyuu manages to pull it off perfectly and for that I have to give them credit. I realized that I'm glad they didn't just tack on this final match of the tournament as say the last 2 episodes of season 2. Here we have an extra long game of 5 sets (instead of the usual 3) and for the first time exhaustion is a factor in Haikyuu, as we see players low on stamina literally unable to move their legs at times. Giving this game a full season allows us some breathing room to get to know the characters on the opposing side a bit better.

I miss Oikawa from season 2 (he's my favorite character) but I must admit Ushijima is a damn good rival character for this season. This dude is a total beast with monstrous serves that are so powerful they rebound off the floor almost up to the ceiling! Ushijima is so damn powerful and he's able to push through pain and exhaustion through sheer willpower to such an extent, he feels like he could be a shonen protagonist in another show that's just visiting this one, y'know? Flashbacks are used sparingly during the game but they give us good enough glimpses into certain characters' backstories. I'll also mention the red haired weird-looking dude, who became a lot more sympathetic once you saw some of his past. On Hinata's team I have to make special mention of Tsukishima, who has really come a long way since season 1. This cynical dude used to put in the minimum amount of effort but this season he's so concerned with winning the game he even plays with an injured hand! Tsuki has this whole plan of how to block the previously-unblockable Ushijima spike, and when he finally pulls it off and shuts down Ushijima, it's soooo damn satisfying.

Haikyuu's sound and art continue to be some of the best this medium has to offer. Just when I think we've hit the peak of Haikyuu's OST, the Burnout Syndromes return with the OP Hikari Are, which is so mindblowingly epic that it puts even their last OP Fly High to shame. That image of the white bird attacking the crows made my jaw literally drop! The artwork and animation of this show continually astound me, and I have to make special mention of the scene where Tsukishima sees the volleyball reflected in his sports glasses right before he blocks Ushijima's spike? Yeah that was so gorgeous I replayed it like 5x lol. I feel like the artwork had especial attention to detail this season, though, like the part after the end of the match when you actually see characters' eyes are red and puffy from crying so much? Can't remember the last time I even saw that in an anime! So yeah Haikyuu S3 is perfect DLC to an already perfect S2.